Consumers are no longer turning to the desktop as a source of media consumption, according to new data from ComScore. A recent survey found that 61 percent of all internet time is now being spent on mobile devices, with users turning to smartphones and tablets for everything from conducting Google searches to listening to online radio.

Perhaps most interesting about the results is the fact that reliance on mobile devices is especially growing when it comes to certain activities. Activities like streaming radio, viewing pictures, and interacting on social media are trending toward mobile. The category of directories/resources had slower mobile growth, with many users continuing to conduct those activities via desktop.

The Business Connection

For businesses, this highlights the already growing need to reach out to consumers the way they’re connecting today. Location-based and voice activation-friendly searches are essential in the new mobile environment, since a consumer is more likely to be searching for a business on a mobile device, while in transit.

The survey also revealed the growing popularity of mobile apps, with 51 percent of users’ digital time now spent on apps. This means the majority of users’ mobile time is being spent using apps.

Still Growing

Of major significance with this year’s surveys is that the numbers are up so much from last year. Where last year mobile was only 50 percent of digital media consumption, that number climbed to 61 percent for this year. This growth shows how mobile devices are overtaking the market as more consumers choose to leave their laptops at home and rely solely on smartphones and tablets.

Businesses that are aware of these statistics can begin to address them by directing marketing efforts away from PCs and toward mobile devices. Whether they change the way they drive consumers to their site through search engines or create apps that appeal to today’s app-driven culture, businesses of all sizes can benefit from surveys like these.